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Patented May l6, I899.

7 C. H. BUCHWALTER. STREET INDICATOR FOR CARS.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1898. Renewed Jan. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR ymnimimnlmmim THE ucnnls PETERS o0. PHOYO LITNO.. WASHINGTON, 0. c.

Nrnn STATES PAT NT "OFFICE.

CALVIN H. BUCHWALTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO EDWARD J. DUMEE, OF SAME PLACE.

STREET-INDICATOR FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,906, dated May 16, 1899..

Application filed October 14, 1896. Renewed January 12 1899. Serial No. 702,003. (No model.)

, T ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN I-I. BUCHWAL- TER, a'citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Street-Indicators for Cars, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

Myinvention consists of an improvement in street-indicators for cars embodying a nameplate and means for rotating and locking the same; furthermore, of a reflector for the light which illuminates the name plate and is adapted to shield the motorman or driver from said light, and, finally, of the construction of the name-plate of opaque material, with transparent letters therein, thus producing the best effect in displaying the name of the street.

Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a street-indicator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical section thereof on line as m, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents an end view of a portion thereof. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal section of a portion of one of the axles of the name-plate and adjacent parts.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates hangers which are attached to a proper part of a car and have mounted thereon the axles B B of the name-plate C, which in the present case is of angular form and adapted to present either of its two limbs or faces to the front, the back of said name-plate being open, but inclosed by a hood, to be hereinafter described. Securedto the hangers are the collars D D, through which said axles freely pass, the side rim of the collar D having therein the recesses or notches E, either of which is adapted to receive the tooth F on the lever G, the eye G of the latter being movably fitted on the squared part B of the axle B, which is provided with a shoulder D against which said eye is pressed by the action of the spring J, which bears against said eye and is controlled by the thumb-nut K on the end of said axle.

. L designatesa hood which incloses the opensaid hood having on its end plates M the flexible or elastic arms N, whose outer'rims have longitudinally-extending slots P therein to receive the shanks of the fiat-headed buttons Q, which shanks are connected with the sides of the collars D D, it being seen that when the heads of the buttons are extended at an angle to the slots P they retain the arms N on the collars and sustain the hood L in position. When, however, said heads are turned to register with said slots P, the arms N may be slipped over said heads, thus disconnecting the hood from the collars and permitting the removal of the same, it being noticed that the ends of the hood are formed with the ra* dial slots R, the inner ends of which are adjacent to the axles B B and slide over the latter during the withdrawal of the hood. It will also be noticed that the name of a street is presented on the front limb of the name-plate,and

the lever E is interlocked with the collar D by means of the tooth F, which occupies one of the notches E in said collar, as has been stated, whereby the name-plate is held immovable. When, however, it is desired to present another limb of said plate, on'which a difierent name exists, the lever G is shifted or drawn outwardly on the part B of the axle, whereby the tooth. F clears the notch which it has occupied. The lever is now rotated in the present case downwardly and carries the axle B with it, consequently rotating the nameplate. When the tooth F reaches the adjacent notch E, the spring forces the lever inwardly, when the tooth drops into said notch, whereby the name-plate is again locked in its new position, it being seen that when the first-named limb of the plate is to be restored to the front the lever is again released and moved up wardly.

In order to illuminate the name plate, I employ the electric light S, which is supported by the post T, the latter being connected. with the wall of the hood L and having its con ductorU pass throughsaid wall to a suitable source on the car, it being noticed that the front name-plate is illuminated by said light, the brilliancy of which is increased owing to the reflecting-surface of the hood.

The limbs of the frame-of name-plate carry the street-signs, which are usually transparent and formed of non-transparent material, and the letters comprising the name thereon are cut out-say in the manner of a stenciland covered by transparent material, as at V, whereby the name appears to the greatest advantage, especially at night.

In order to remove the hood from the nameplate, owing to the cylindrical curved shape of the former, a space exists between the lower end of the front plate and the adjacent edge of the wall of the hood. In order to close the same and prevent the light streaming through said space, I employ the sliding gate or door V, which in the present case is of segmental form and fitted in the guides X on the ends of the hood, so that said gate may be readily raised and lowered,

It will be seen that when access is required to the light the latter is readily accessible by removing the hood, in which case the nameplate and its connected parts are not in operative position, and the name-plate is rotated, the light always remaining stationary on the hood, by which it is supported.

The front of the hood is open to expose the part of the name-plate presented th'ere'at, as has been stated; but the rear and bottom portions of the same are closed, in order to shield the eyes of the motorman from the illuminator of the device.

It will be understood that I do not limit myself to the use of the indicator for streetcars, as it is serviceable for business purposes generally.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a street-indicator for cars, a hollow name-plate having axles on its ends, hangers with bearings for said axles, a hood inclosing a portion of said name-plate and secured to said hangers, an arm attached to said hood, a fastening device common to said arm and one of the hangers and a lighting device secured to said hood.

2. A rotating name-plate, a supported collar' freely receiving one of the axles of said plate, a laterally-shifting lever on said axle, a tooth on said lever, notches on said collar to receive said tooth and lock the name-plate at different places, a spring bearing inwardly against said lever, and an adjusting-nut for said spring.

3. In an indicator of the character stated, a name-plate formed of two limbs angularly connected, transparent signs on said limbs and having an open back, means for rotating said plate, a hood open in front and covering the said open back and one of said limbs of said name-plate and an illuminating device for said signs inclosed between the same and said hood.

4. A rotating name-plate formed of two limbs and an open back, transparent signs on said limbs, a bearing for a journal of said plate, a recessed collar connected with said bearing, a lever connected with said journal,

and adapted to engage with said collar in either recess thereof, means for retaining said lever in engagement with said collar, a hood inclo'sing the open back of the name-plate, and one limb thereof and an illuminating device for said signs between the same and said hood.

5. A name-plate formed of two limbs, and an open back, a support for said plate, a hood covering the open back of said plate and one of the limbs thereof, means for rotating said plate in reverse directions, a lighting device carried by said hood, and means by which said hood is supported independent of the name-plate.

6. In a street-indicator, a rotatable nameplate having axles on its ends, collars forming bearings for said axles, a hood having slotted pliable arms on its ends, buttons for securing said arms to said collars, and a lever on one of said axles provided with a tooth adapted to engage with said collar.

7. A rotative name-plate of angular form having limbs of opaque material with transparent characters therein and an illuminator within said plate in combination with a sta tionary hood which is open in front and closed below and at rear, hangers on which said plate is mounted, supports for said hood, an arm attached to the latter, a fastening device common to said arm and the adjacent hanger and means on one of said hangers and the adjacent axle of the name-plate for rotating and locking the latter.

CALVIN H. BUOHWALTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. C.W1EDERsHnIM. 

